Tanugiin Jün
Tanugiin Jün, literally "Those who ride the steppe" are the dominant centaur culture in the world, and the only one present on Ærellion. The centaurs of Telgren are descended from these fearsome warriors, as are any small communities that may be found elsewhere. Tanugiin Jün are a brave, tenacious, proud, and unforgiving race, as fluid as their steppe home and as dangerous as the most fearsome of beasts. However, their warlike beliefs and constant raiding hides a rich and complex cultural tradition that is truly unique to them. The Tanugiin Jün also have the distinction of having the largest land area of any culture in the realm, and can be found in the Arzuudyu, Tögsgöldyu, Balöndör, Khoitaldyu, Tötsöl Ikhal, Bakatyeong, and Arndzvord regions, though in the latter two they are not dominant.
The Tanugiin Jün are united by their common beliefs, social structure, and nomadicism, though they display differences depending on which region they hail from. One of the main tenants of such culture comes from the faith of Khuragism, which has set the framework for developing culture around martial skills, patriarchy, and spiritualism. Such a martial tradition has also been nurtured by thousands of years on the open steppe, which can be harsh if one is weak or physically unfit. Thus, the development of a militarist religion has reinforced such necessitie for survival on the plains, though it has cost the Tanugiin Jün in terms of other metrics. However, it should not be assumed that the Tanugiin Jün are technologically or tactically behind other nations. Their martial tradition focuses not just on raw power and strength, but also on the application of such force, as well as promoting tactical and strategic skill, which is what has allowed the expansion of the Tanugiin Jün to encompass nearly the entire steppe (sans the Hobgoblin-controlled northeast). While nomadic, the Tanugiin Jün are still accomplished craftsmen, which is what many occupy themselves with when not at war or during livestock grazing. Such industry is almost exclusively confined to personal of familial use, although in some of the small cities that have sprung up over time, such as Harmaash, industries such as metalworking have developed extensively and even in tandem with magical arts in order to enhance the fighting capabilities of the people.
Although the Tanugiin Jün's focus on the battlefield can be partially attributed to be the harsh environment of their lands, a major part of it is also born from their paternalist and polyamorous society. Although it is unclear which developed first, the militarism and paternalism have proven hard to disentangle and have reinforced one another. Although not de facto legal in most Tanugiin Jün countries, polyamory has been used both as a tool to control women, a means of encouraging war fervor, and a way to enrich the elite. Without polyamory, the Tanugiin Jün would be unable to continue their campaigns against one another and the wider world, and without paternalism it would be difficult for this to be enforced. Such traditions also serve to reinforce the structure of society and the distribution of inheritance. On a high-level, the Tanugiin Jün traditions function as thus: any nation is composed of a federation of tribes, some greater and some lesser. This hierarchy varies over time as each clan's fortune waxes and wanes, but generally the greatest of clans remain prolific and in control, with many of them having gone on to form their own confederations over time. Each clan is also organized into their own inner hierarchy, which forms a more normal hierarchy. Unlike cultures such as that of the Storm Giants, a person's standing within their own clan is more important than which clan they belong to, naturally keeping in mind the power and influence of each clan if conflict arises. The inner standings of any one clan is based on senior status, tracing back along the male line, and in order of birth. Thus, in theory, the head of each clan should be from an unbroken line dating back to the founder of the clan. In practice, this quickly gets messy, especially with a lack of written records for most events of this sort. Thus, the clan structure can be defined as somewhat fluid, where different branches may take power for a time, while lesser members of any branch may have a difficult time asserting their authority.
Also of note is the method for which marriage is undertaken for each clan. Traditionally, marriage is between a higher-ranking woman and a lower-ranking man. By accepting the dominance of the man and lowering herself to the level of his clan, a woman is thus "controlled", essentially reducing her status and reinforcing patriarchal control. Such a tradition means that the flow is always downwards, with women being unable to advance their status by marriage, thus reducing ther influcence, at least nominally. Although usually marriages are inter-clan affairs, it is also common for them to be in the clan, as a way of keeping power concentrated, especially in the most powerful clans, who have fewer out-of-clan options. With the arrangement of marriage between two clans being common, as long as the higher ranking clan sends more women over they can avoid lsoing face by taken on "lessers". Any quirks in the system that prevent regular marriage are usually overcome in two ways. The first is by capturing foreign women and forcing them to marry, a common practice by royalty in order to circumvent the hierarchy and legally marry. Such kidnapping is not necessarily non-consentual, as fairly often it is arranged by both parties ahead of time in order to ensure no mishaps. Naturally, should such a thing get out it would be dishonorable and cowardly, so the party relinquishing a woman typically receives some sort of compensation as a way to ensure they keep silent. The second is to not marry at all and to only take concubines, which can make the succssion quite worrisome. Since children born to a legal marriage are always above those of concubines, there is little incentive to kill children until one's son is on top, but with concubines only such inheritance might bounce between sons and therefore encourage discord in the household. As for the concubines themselves, they are typically taken in reverse order of marriages, and thus from lesser clans. In this way the least valuable clans of any state thus send most of their daughters off as concubines. As concubines do not have any elevation of status, their children are also somewhat lesser, as described above. Concubines, however, are closely controlled by most states. As with marriage, there must be a legal contract between the man and women, and usually concubines are limited to the eldest, excluding royalty. For example, should a man have 5 sons, only the eldest would usually be allowed to take on concubines. If that son was to die after this, the new eldest could inherit the concubines, and even potentially his older brother's wife if he has no wife and wishes to do so. Naturally, royal clans totally ignore such rules. In many cases, marriage is also limited to elder sons, or at least the first few. In almost no cases are any sons past the second or third allowed to marry or take on concubines, at least naturally. They can only do so via warfare, thus raising their status by seizing women (not good). This encourages warfare and violence as clans undertake raids against their foes to prove their worth and secure their position.
Although the lot of women tends to be poor, as long as a woman accepts the societal structure she can still greatly influence the state. While freedom may back lacking, many women have found other ways to prove their worth. Many clan leaders and heads of households keep their wife and concubines as a sort of informal advisory council, and they are encouraged to learn and understand concepts in order to be of more use in this respect. There are also many accounts of women choosing to go to war rather than marry, which is totally legal and protected. Such an action is seen as refuting the man, and is a great stain on his honor. For the woman that wishes to scorn a hated suitor, little could be better than seeing him shamed. However, they are expected to fight, which can be very difficult as most women are not trained in such matters. They do still have the natural centaur strength and power to fall back on. While forced to be tethered to a man or to fight, they do have freedom of movement and in some respects are considered more free than in other countries, especially in large harems. Snce each woman has her own dwelling and the man chooses where to sleep each night, they may go years without being forced to copulate, especially if they make it as annoying as possible for the man. It should also be noted that things such as sexual slavery, sexual abuse, marital abuse, adultery, and other crimes against a spouse are taken extremely seriously and seen as great breaches of honor, with the punishment often being death for the man. It may be seen as despite longstanding cultural practices that promote patriarchy and diminish women, the lack of de facto rules and the intrinsic value of women as equals (even if it remains unrecognized) has allowed them to remain important rights that in many other places have been eroded over time.
The Tanugiin Jün, a a nomadic people group, rely primarily on grazing livestock in orden to maintain their diet and as their source of income. Livestock is used both for their hides as well as for their meat, and animals are often killed before the winter months to provide sustinance and reduce the amount of grazing required in the cold. Sheep, cattle, and camels are their preferred animals of choice, while horses are also sometimes used in times of great need but otherwise left alone due to their similarities to centaurs. The centaurs also make use of domesticated (though not as much as cattle) aurochs, which can be found on the steppe and nowhere else. As a rare and powerful beast much different in temperment from regular cattle, owning aurochs is seen as a testament to one's strength and power. The wild aurochs, as well as animals such as deer and boar are also hunted for meat and furs. The typical diet of the Tanugiin Jün is limited in consumption of vegetables and grains, although there is limited cultivation of both, especially in the regions surrounding rivers and towns, where sedantarism may be more common. Those on the coast or by rivers and lakes also supplant their diets with fish, though centaurs rarely, if ever, use small boats and are thus limited in their methods of securing fish.
The traditional organizations of Tanugiin Jün society do not make any reference to sucultures of differences due to the migratory attitude of many tribes. Instead, the primary region a tribe frequents has been used as the traditional manner for which they are organized internally. Alongside this, as centralization has slowly crept in, tribes have begun to be referred to by whichever royal family they swear fealty to. External observers, however, have classified the Tanugiin Jün into x different subcultures, based on slight differences to culture, society, and occasionally religion. The simplest of groups to break off are the Tögsgölgüi Teltars. Although genetically around 50% Telrai, the Teltars are undeniably part of the Tanugiin Jün, only differing in their physical anatomy and a few key things. As royalty, the Teltars have developed a unique kinship system which undeniably places them above the other clans they rule over. Their marriage and reproduction is also closely controlled, limited by decrees preventing Teltar blood from seeping into the general populace. Thus, they maintain themselves as a separate caste with their own quirks. Although extremely powerful, Teltars are limited entirely to the Tögsgölgüi Ord, and typically only settled in and around Harmaash, the core of their empire, though they can be found throughout.
The rest of the Tögsgölgüi Ord is populated primarily by the Aghurik, who make up the centaur side of the Teltaric ancestry. The Aghurik are to many the prototypical cenaturs, especially to most outsiders. They deal primarily in sheep and cattle herding, but due to the dryness of their home region there are many camels to be found. Aghurik are the most developed of the various Tanugiin Jün subgroups, accounting for many of the unique tactics accomplishments of the culture. However, they are also the most warlike, although not as much as their Teltar overlords, which has caused some strife in the past. The Aghurik warred with the Plains Orcs to their southwest for many years, until both groups were subjugated by the Teltars. In the aftermath of the War of the Three Titans, violence reemerged between these groups, which eventually led to most Orcs fleeting the steppe and the Aghurik expanding their territory west. Though the Aghurik are typically not found in the Tötsöl Ikhal desert, there are a few tribes which have migrated east and may be found in the service of the tribes of the east. The [TBD Ord] is also ruled by a clan of Aghurik, though most of its population is Noyodii.
To the north of the Aghurik are the Noyodii, who are smaller in number and strength. The Noyodii are typically a little less centralized and devloped, but consequentially more free and less strict. Although generally considered less warlike than their southern fellows, they are a constant threat to the coastal gobins, hobgoblins, and Telrai colonies. The Noyodii have a very distinct language from the rest of the Tanugiin Jün, with a number of unique words and phrases found nowhere else. This is probably due to being more out of the way and less migrated into by other tribes, with the region being bordered by hills and mountains which limit migration of the centaurs, who primarily migrate around the plains.
East of the Noyodii, the Züüghar dominate the northern steppe. Once home primarily to Hobgoblins, Trolls, and even Dwarves in the hilly regions, over time the Züüghar came to dominate, conquering the hilly region bordering the Noyodii and pushing the dwarves back into the mountains and eliminiating the Trolls fom all but the deepest woods and highets peaks. The Hobgoblins continue to fight against the Züüghar, who are of course not a unified entity and fight amongst themsleves as well. In recent years, some small territories have actually been lost to the Hobgoblins for the first time in many years, which has prompted a new confederation of tribes to rise and oppose their mortal foe. The Züüghar are notabe for their use of elaborate headdresses to signify the social and marital status of their peoples in ceremonies, and are the only Tanugiin Jün to make use of silk in large quantities. Silk farms are guarded fiercely by the clans which control them, for their worth is great despite the poor conditions for silk moths in the steppe. Imported silk is especially prized, though difficult to obtain due to their geographical and diplomatic position.
Lastly, to the east of the Aghurik and south of the Züüghar, though separated by mountains from the latter, Khoiguud may be found. Known to populate the desert and shrublands between the Aghurik and the human population, they are the most sparesly populated group of centaurs, especially in the inner Tötsöl Ikhal. The Khoiguud rely primarily on the camel due to the lack of water to be found. They have fought numerous wars with the Wanyun of Syeoban for control over the region, and in recent years have also pushed south and conquered into the savanna. The Khoiguud are the least stable of the various Tanugiin Jün, and could very well fall apart in the east and be subsumed by the Aghurik in the west, but they could also potentially deal great blows to the east and retain their position for years to come.
Although the Tanugiin Jün's focus on the battlefield can be partially attributed to be the harsh environment of their lands, a major part of it is also born from their paternalist and polyamorous society. Although it is unclear which developed first, the militarism and paternalism have proven hard to disentangle and have reinforced one another. Although not de facto legal in most Tanugiin Jün countries, polyamory has been used both as a tool to control women, a means of encouraging war fervor, and a way to enrich the elite. Without polyamory, the Tanugiin Jün would be unable to continue their campaigns against one another and the wider world, and without paternalism it would be difficult for this to be enforced. Such traditions also serve to reinforce the structure of society and the distribution of inheritance. On a high-level, the Tanugiin Jün traditions function as thus: any nation is composed of a federation of tribes, some greater and some lesser. This hierarchy varies over time as each clan's fortune waxes and wanes, but generally the greatest of clans remain prolific and in control, with many of them having gone on to form their own confederations over time. Each clan is also organized into their own inner hierarchy, which forms a more normal hierarchy. Unlike cultures such as that of the Storm Giants, a person's standing within their own clan is more important than which clan they belong to, naturally keeping in mind the power and influence of each clan if conflict arises. The inner standings of any one clan is based on senior status, tracing back along the male line, and in order of birth. Thus, in theory, the head of each clan should be from an unbroken line dating back to the founder of the clan. In practice, this quickly gets messy, especially with a lack of written records for most events of this sort. Thus, the clan structure can be defined as somewhat fluid, where different branches may take power for a time, while lesser members of any branch may have a difficult time asserting their authority.
Also of note is the method for which marriage is undertaken for each clan. Traditionally, marriage is between a higher-ranking woman and a lower-ranking man. By accepting the dominance of the man and lowering herself to the level of his clan, a woman is thus "controlled", essentially reducing her status and reinforcing patriarchal control. Such a tradition means that the flow is always downwards, with women being unable to advance their status by marriage, thus reducing ther influcence, at least nominally. Although usually marriages are inter-clan affairs, it is also common for them to be in the clan, as a way of keeping power concentrated, especially in the most powerful clans, who have fewer out-of-clan options. With the arrangement of marriage between two clans being common, as long as the higher ranking clan sends more women over they can avoid lsoing face by taken on "lessers". Any quirks in the system that prevent regular marriage are usually overcome in two ways. The first is by capturing foreign women and forcing them to marry, a common practice by royalty in order to circumvent the hierarchy and legally marry. Such kidnapping is not necessarily non-consentual, as fairly often it is arranged by both parties ahead of time in order to ensure no mishaps. Naturally, should such a thing get out it would be dishonorable and cowardly, so the party relinquishing a woman typically receives some sort of compensation as a way to ensure they keep silent. The second is to not marry at all and to only take concubines, which can make the succssion quite worrisome. Since children born to a legal marriage are always above those of concubines, there is little incentive to kill children until one's son is on top, but with concubines only such inheritance might bounce between sons and therefore encourage discord in the household. As for the concubines themselves, they are typically taken in reverse order of marriages, and thus from lesser clans. In this way the least valuable clans of any state thus send most of their daughters off as concubines. As concubines do not have any elevation of status, their children are also somewhat lesser, as described above. Concubines, however, are closely controlled by most states. As with marriage, there must be a legal contract between the man and women, and usually concubines are limited to the eldest, excluding royalty. For example, should a man have 5 sons, only the eldest would usually be allowed to take on concubines. If that son was to die after this, the new eldest could inherit the concubines, and even potentially his older brother's wife if he has no wife and wishes to do so. Naturally, royal clans totally ignore such rules. In many cases, marriage is also limited to elder sons, or at least the first few. In almost no cases are any sons past the second or third allowed to marry or take on concubines, at least naturally. They can only do so via warfare, thus raising their status by seizing women (not good). This encourages warfare and violence as clans undertake raids against their foes to prove their worth and secure their position.
Although the lot of women tends to be poor, as long as a woman accepts the societal structure she can still greatly influence the state. While freedom may back lacking, many women have found other ways to prove their worth. Many clan leaders and heads of households keep their wife and concubines as a sort of informal advisory council, and they are encouraged to learn and understand concepts in order to be of more use in this respect. There are also many accounts of women choosing to go to war rather than marry, which is totally legal and protected. Such an action is seen as refuting the man, and is a great stain on his honor. For the woman that wishes to scorn a hated suitor, little could be better than seeing him shamed. However, they are expected to fight, which can be very difficult as most women are not trained in such matters. They do still have the natural centaur strength and power to fall back on. While forced to be tethered to a man or to fight, they do have freedom of movement and in some respects are considered more free than in other countries, especially in large harems. Snce each woman has her own dwelling and the man chooses where to sleep each night, they may go years without being forced to copulate, especially if they make it as annoying as possible for the man. It should also be noted that things such as sexual slavery, sexual abuse, marital abuse, adultery, and other crimes against a spouse are taken extremely seriously and seen as great breaches of honor, with the punishment often being death for the man. It may be seen as despite longstanding cultural practices that promote patriarchy and diminish women, the lack of de facto rules and the intrinsic value of women as equals (even if it remains unrecognized) has allowed them to remain important rights that in many other places have been eroded over time.
The Tanugiin Jün, a a nomadic people group, rely primarily on grazing livestock in orden to maintain their diet and as their source of income. Livestock is used both for their hides as well as for their meat, and animals are often killed before the winter months to provide sustinance and reduce the amount of grazing required in the cold. Sheep, cattle, and camels are their preferred animals of choice, while horses are also sometimes used in times of great need but otherwise left alone due to their similarities to centaurs. The centaurs also make use of domesticated (though not as much as cattle) aurochs, which can be found on the steppe and nowhere else. As a rare and powerful beast much different in temperment from regular cattle, owning aurochs is seen as a testament to one's strength and power. The wild aurochs, as well as animals such as deer and boar are also hunted for meat and furs. The typical diet of the Tanugiin Jün is limited in consumption of vegetables and grains, although there is limited cultivation of both, especially in the regions surrounding rivers and towns, where sedantarism may be more common. Those on the coast or by rivers and lakes also supplant their diets with fish, though centaurs rarely, if ever, use small boats and are thus limited in their methods of securing fish.
The traditional organizations of Tanugiin Jün society do not make any reference to sucultures of differences due to the migratory attitude of many tribes. Instead, the primary region a tribe frequents has been used as the traditional manner for which they are organized internally. Alongside this, as centralization has slowly crept in, tribes have begun to be referred to by whichever royal family they swear fealty to. External observers, however, have classified the Tanugiin Jün into x different subcultures, based on slight differences to culture, society, and occasionally religion. The simplest of groups to break off are the Tögsgölgüi Teltars. Although genetically around 50% Telrai, the Teltars are undeniably part of the Tanugiin Jün, only differing in their physical anatomy and a few key things. As royalty, the Teltars have developed a unique kinship system which undeniably places them above the other clans they rule over. Their marriage and reproduction is also closely controlled, limited by decrees preventing Teltar blood from seeping into the general populace. Thus, they maintain themselves as a separate caste with their own quirks. Although extremely powerful, Teltars are limited entirely to the Tögsgölgüi Ord, and typically only settled in and around Harmaash, the core of their empire, though they can be found throughout.
The rest of the Tögsgölgüi Ord is populated primarily by the Aghurik, who make up the centaur side of the Teltaric ancestry. The Aghurik are to many the prototypical cenaturs, especially to most outsiders. They deal primarily in sheep and cattle herding, but due to the dryness of their home region there are many camels to be found. Aghurik are the most developed of the various Tanugiin Jün subgroups, accounting for many of the unique tactics accomplishments of the culture. However, they are also the most warlike, although not as much as their Teltar overlords, which has caused some strife in the past. The Aghurik warred with the Plains Orcs to their southwest for many years, until both groups were subjugated by the Teltars. In the aftermath of the War of the Three Titans, violence reemerged between these groups, which eventually led to most Orcs fleeting the steppe and the Aghurik expanding their territory west. Though the Aghurik are typically not found in the Tötsöl Ikhal desert, there are a few tribes which have migrated east and may be found in the service of the tribes of the east. The [TBD Ord] is also ruled by a clan of Aghurik, though most of its population is Noyodii.
To the north of the Aghurik are the Noyodii, who are smaller in number and strength. The Noyodii are typically a little less centralized and devloped, but consequentially more free and less strict. Although generally considered less warlike than their southern fellows, they are a constant threat to the coastal gobins, hobgoblins, and Telrai colonies. The Noyodii have a very distinct language from the rest of the Tanugiin Jün, with a number of unique words and phrases found nowhere else. This is probably due to being more out of the way and less migrated into by other tribes, with the region being bordered by hills and mountains which limit migration of the centaurs, who primarily migrate around the plains.
East of the Noyodii, the Züüghar dominate the northern steppe. Once home primarily to Hobgoblins, Trolls, and even Dwarves in the hilly regions, over time the Züüghar came to dominate, conquering the hilly region bordering the Noyodii and pushing the dwarves back into the mountains and eliminiating the Trolls fom all but the deepest woods and highets peaks. The Hobgoblins continue to fight against the Züüghar, who are of course not a unified entity and fight amongst themsleves as well. In recent years, some small territories have actually been lost to the Hobgoblins for the first time in many years, which has prompted a new confederation of tribes to rise and oppose their mortal foe. The Züüghar are notabe for their use of elaborate headdresses to signify the social and marital status of their peoples in ceremonies, and are the only Tanugiin Jün to make use of silk in large quantities. Silk farms are guarded fiercely by the clans which control them, for their worth is great despite the poor conditions for silk moths in the steppe. Imported silk is especially prized, though difficult to obtain due to their geographical and diplomatic position.
Lastly, to the east of the Aghurik and south of the Züüghar, though separated by mountains from the latter, Khoiguud may be found. Known to populate the desert and shrublands between the Aghurik and the human population, they are the most sparesly populated group of centaurs, especially in the inner Tötsöl Ikhal. The Khoiguud rely primarily on the camel due to the lack of water to be found. They have fought numerous wars with the Wanyun of Syeoban for control over the region, and in recent years have also pushed south and conquered into the savanna. The Khoiguud are the least stable of the various Tanugiin Jün, and could very well fall apart in the east and be subsumed by the Aghurik in the west, but they could also potentially deal great blows to the east and retain their position for years to come.
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